The most widely spread epidemic of the year 2009, the H1N1 swine flu, has not only hit the Mumbai city, but also its twin city, Pune. Currently, 27 positive cases have been reported and it is feared that the numbers might not stop here.
In order to curb the spread of this deadly virus, Pune civic body has declared to shut down all educational institutions like schools, colleges and other private coaching classes for next few days. Also, talks are to be held by political parties and other organizations for closure of cinema halls, malls, multiplexes and other public gathering places. The local civic body has announced to visit public gathering places and areas only if necessary.
The fear of getting infected with swine flu has also brought down the road traffic between Mumbai and Pune. Those working on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway have noted a sudden drop in the number of vehicles passing through the toll posts, and the same effect have been noticed on the old Mumbai-Pune highway. However, the railway authorities have said that the number of passengers traveling by rail hasn't dipped. And that they are coordinating with the health department and agencies to provide assistance, and putting up swine flu awareness banners at all major railway stations.
Pune Municipal Corporation have taken active initiation by increasing the frequency of garbage collection, thus letting less of garbage piling across the city. However, with dahi-handi and Ganpati celebrations just around the corner, it will be a tough task for the PMC to maintain cleanliness across the city. And with rising number of H1N1 cases, it looks like at this time of the year Puneites will have to restrict their celebrations to some extent.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Cytokine Storm
Have you ever wondered how and why your cuts and bruises gets healed?. At times, even when you don't care to put a bandage or apply any antiseptic. And why you feel an itching sensation when the wound is almost healed up? Well, the answer lies inside your body.
Like every country has a system to maintain law and order and stability, our body too has a system very much like it. A system that checks intruders like bacterias and viruses, a system that checks foreign elements like molecules of iron, dirt and so on. And a system that calls in an army of T-cells and other immune cells and macrophages to make sure nothing damages the body. We know this system as Immune system.
Now, since we are simplifying and comparing this complex process of immune system with a law enforcing group, lets see what role does cytokines play in here.
In simplest definition of all, cytokines are signaling molecules for cellular communication made up of proteins. They are like those informants who provide tips and whereabouts information to the police. So whenever you are hurt, cytokines are the first in the immune system to know where you are hurt and they will pass on this information to T-cells and other immune cells, which will surround your injury making sure it does not spread.
However, at times due to various reasons cytokine storm or hypercytokinemia occurs causing a great deal of tissue damage. So what exactly is cytokine storm?
When the immune system is working on the viruses and bacterias in your body, cytokines signal T-cells and other immune cells to travel to the infected area. Apart from this, cytokines also have the ability to self-produce more cytokines, hence activating more T-cells and immune cells. This entire loop of positive feedback is controlled by the body. However, in some cases, this chain reaction gets out of control and more and more cytokines are produce which can damage organs to quite an extent.
It has been speculated that many of the deaths caused by H1N1 swine flu has been due to cytokine storm.
Like every country has a system to maintain law and order and stability, our body too has a system very much like it. A system that checks intruders like bacterias and viruses, a system that checks foreign elements like molecules of iron, dirt and so on. And a system that calls in an army of T-cells and other immune cells and macrophages to make sure nothing damages the body. We know this system as Immune system.
Now, since we are simplifying and comparing this complex process of immune system with a law enforcing group, lets see what role does cytokines play in here.
In simplest definition of all, cytokines are signaling molecules for cellular communication made up of proteins. They are like those informants who provide tips and whereabouts information to the police. So whenever you are hurt, cytokines are the first in the immune system to know where you are hurt and they will pass on this information to T-cells and other immune cells, which will surround your injury making sure it does not spread.
However, at times due to various reasons cytokine storm or hypercytokinemia occurs causing a great deal of tissue damage. So what exactly is cytokine storm?
When the immune system is working on the viruses and bacterias in your body, cytokines signal T-cells and other immune cells to travel to the infected area. Apart from this, cytokines also have the ability to self-produce more cytokines, hence activating more T-cells and immune cells. This entire loop of positive feedback is controlled by the body. However, in some cases, this chain reaction gets out of control and more and more cytokines are produce which can damage organs to quite an extent.
It has been speculated that many of the deaths caused by H1N1 swine flu has been due to cytokine storm.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
De-coding Swine Flu
The outbreak of H1N1 flu or better known as swine flu has taken India by storm. Almost 24 weeks ago, the very first case of H1N1 was reported in Mexico. And within a short period of time the virus has spread across different continents and nations, creating mayhem all over. And suddenly from nowhere this swine flu epidemic has spread across like a wild forest fire, making waves across every news channel and national and international newspapers.
You will find people around in your neighborhood, walking or traveling with handkerchiefs covering their face, and some going one step further to put on the recommended masks. Such is the fear of getting infected with swine flu that people are already popping anti-flu tablets, just to make sure they do not get swept away by this H1N1 swine flu surge.
However, tackling swine flu with N-95 masks and handkerchiefs is not enough. To tackle a disease it is very important to understand what exactly is this H1N1 and how it affects us.
Generally, swine flu virus is found in pig population worldwide. However, research has confirmed that the outbreak is due to a new strain of H1N1 virus not reported in pigs. This new strain of H1N1 virus does not spread from pigs to humans, but from a human to human. The most common symptoms of swine flu is diarrhea and vomiting, and the most common cause of death so far reported is respiratory failure.
So, how does this strain of virus causes respiratory failure? To understand this, we need to know a little about how our body works. Well, normally influenza viruses never kill a human being. But this strain of virus creates a storm of cytokines, which when in excess, damages our body tissues. Once the tissues are damaged, H1N1 virus penetrates deeper into the lungs and respiratory tract and reaches into different organs, which further leads to organ failure.
Like a saying goes that Knowledge is Power, people should learn more about this havoc-creating virus, rather than just putting on masks and taking anti-flu tablets without any prior consent of the physician. Because popping anti-flu tablets might only lead to some other side-effects which are in dark at the moment. And if people just go on buying masks and dumping them later, it will not only lead to shortage of masks where it is actually required, but will also lead to huge chunk of bio-medical waste triggering the swine flu epidemic with a monster effect.
You will find people around in your neighborhood, walking or traveling with handkerchiefs covering their face, and some going one step further to put on the recommended masks. Such is the fear of getting infected with swine flu that people are already popping anti-flu tablets, just to make sure they do not get swept away by this H1N1 swine flu surge.
However, tackling swine flu with N-95 masks and handkerchiefs is not enough. To tackle a disease it is very important to understand what exactly is this H1N1 and how it affects us.
Generally, swine flu virus is found in pig population worldwide. However, research has confirmed that the outbreak is due to a new strain of H1N1 virus not reported in pigs. This new strain of H1N1 virus does not spread from pigs to humans, but from a human to human. The most common symptoms of swine flu is diarrhea and vomiting, and the most common cause of death so far reported is respiratory failure.
So, how does this strain of virus causes respiratory failure? To understand this, we need to know a little about how our body works. Well, normally influenza viruses never kill a human being. But this strain of virus creates a storm of cytokines, which when in excess, damages our body tissues. Once the tissues are damaged, H1N1 virus penetrates deeper into the lungs and respiratory tract and reaches into different organs, which further leads to organ failure.
Like a saying goes that Knowledge is Power, people should learn more about this havoc-creating virus, rather than just putting on masks and taking anti-flu tablets without any prior consent of the physician. Because popping anti-flu tablets might only lead to some other side-effects which are in dark at the moment. And if people just go on buying masks and dumping them later, it will not only lead to shortage of masks where it is actually required, but will also lead to huge chunk of bio-medical waste triggering the swine flu epidemic with a monster effect.
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